Motor-wheel.



(i. A. BJORNSON.

MOTOR WHEEL.

APPLlcAnoN mep Dsc. 15. 1915.

1 1 98,4 1 O Patented Sept'. 19, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. A. BJORNSON.

MOTOR WHEEL.

APPLLcAmN msn Dic. l5. 1915.

1 1 98,4 1 O. Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

5 SHEETS- SHEET 3.

O wil/Mama G. A. BORNSON.

MOTOR WHEEL.

APPLLCATION m50 DEC.15.19\5.

1 1 98,4: l O. Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

G. A. BJORNSON.

MOTOR WHEEL.

APPucATioN man nc.15.195.

, s l Patented Sept. 19, 1916 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

GUSTAF A. BJORNSON, fil" ,Application :nol Dumm Be it known that I, (iwixir ik. Eiawwszos? a subject of the King of Sneden., resiw at San F ancv 0o, in the bounty oi' San Vian cisco and St of California, lime if ined Certain new and useful lmpmven'wi in Motor-Wheels, of which the folluwing -i specification.

This invention 'iiates to power or motwf wheels of that vpe as are adapted to be i pended o1.' mounted in the path oi' moving iuids, in order hat ghe power of the movii" T fluids may be transmitted bv them to wan-3 point of use.

As a piim'ipai ohjoet, it umili-w by this invenion to provide a .viwu lally adapted for use in a 'stream comparatively srvifi oai'ienli, im im; the flowing wa Y :ngfains sa'ziwbprovided by l'fie wneel servir. i latter and generate a pmwv niissible.

lt is a generic o iiwfl o provide a Wheel m nih gw: shan-ture as lo permit of its iw i Lo generato power iioin the mmm other fluids in addition ai Hi a it being possible to vilain t. i invention either as a mindmifi rent motor,

More speolir-ally. if, is volition to pi'ovide a sein-a ciated in ya(V ially aixanggfwl gi o1 hub of the wheel` such blades bei mounted and being; *C* e w meot of the moving uids in such in determine a rotation of ihe alle, stent direction.

A further specific ohjevi of the mvv! 40 is fo provide means readily ouvrable frena fi single point to secure the loi-king o? ail of e blades in such mannei' that i'olaim of *he wheel will be cheeked. whiley ar. lli. time the locked blades or wings do not' forni obstruction to the passage ol tho fmienL The above and additional objevs wh will be hereinafter more speciiiaily t are accomplished by such mean-s as are iii', s tlated in the accompanying di'zuviaggf'r, eef scribed in the following specififxaimi a id then more articularly pointed mi in lw claims Whic 1 are appended hei-ein and. 'mni a part of this application.

lith reference to the drawings,

wherein ifi :im hul mi@ i Vorm amy flanges 22 of the latter and are connected by a circumferentially arranged series of braces 23 and 24, respectively connecting the ends and the intermediate portions of corresponding members 17 of adjacent spoke frames. In addition to these bracing means a number of connecting strips 25 also join the adjacent spoke frames, forming a means whereby locking shafts 26 maybe suitably supported in the bearings 27 carried by these strips. The particular operation of these shafts 26 will be later set forth in detail.

The central hub 15 of the wheel is supported upon a table 28 and is splined or keyed upon a transmission .shaft 29 the outer extremity of which carries the transmission pulley 30. The lower extremity of the shaft 29 is journaled within a suitable socket'l formed integrally with a cover plate 32 for the mounting cylinder 33 of the wheel, such cover also forming the platform upon which the table 28 is rotatable through the medium of the roller bearings 34 journaled at intervals in the periphery of the table.

T he mounting cylinder 33 for the wheel is snugly received within the hydraulic cylinder 35, the latter cylinder being inserted within a suitable pier of concrete or a like material which may be built directly upon the bed of the stream or mill race furnishing the current to operate the wheel. The hydraulic cylinder 35 is larger than the mounting cylinder 33 for the wheel and has the space therebetween filled with water or other fluid admitted through an inlet 37. Control of the hydraulic fluid admitted between the cylinders may be assured by any desirable valve means, so that the wheel may be raised entirely out of the stream for repair purposes should it be so desired. The water within the cylinders may be either exhausted through the inlet 3T or driven out through a suitable check flow outlet 38.

Returning to the description of the locking means f 'or the wings 21 reference is directed primarily to Figs. 3 and 4. In these views the shaft 26 illustrated, a type of all similar shafts. carries at its outer extremity a lever 39 having an arcuately upturned extremity 40 upon which is mounted a roller 41, The opposite end of this lever makes pivotal connections 42 with a veltical rod 43.. Crank members 44 pivotally connect the vertical rod with separate rock shafts 45 vertically alined with the controlling shaft 26 as is c'learly shown in Fig. 4. Each of tllese rock shafts carries a plurality of crank extensions 45 which are so spaced therealong as to contact with proper blades 21 in the manner best shown in Fig. 3, and prevent ing clockwise movement of the blades. Counterclockwise movement is always denied these blades by the employment of rods 47, for this purpose. An upstanding arm 48 is formed upon each controlling shaft 26 for the connection therewith of a contractile coil spring 49, the opposite extremity of the spring being fastened, as denoted at 50 to the brace 16 of the spoke frame mounting the wings 21 controlled by the particular shaft 26 under discussion. It will thus be seen that the spring normally tends to prevent any locking of' the blades and tends to return the bladesto their position of release as soon as the locking force is removed.

Movement of' each controlling shaft 26 under infiuence of' its spring 4S), is limited by a stop pin 39 projecting from one of the braces 23 and beneath the short end of the lever 3f) for said controlling shaft.

To lock the blades of the respective spoke frames there is employed a shoe 51 which is preferably mounted at the extremity of a rod 52, control of the rod being assured through the medium of the level 53 and any suitable catch connections 54. The rod slides through brackets secured to a support member 5U and usually bears such relation to the wheel as is illustrated, somewhat diamctrically in Fig. 1. It will be noted that this shoe is so positioned with respect to the wheel periphery as to be within the path of' travel of each of the roller tipped extremities of the levers 39. It will be apparent, from an inspection of Fig. 4 that each lever coming in contact with die shoe is depressed from its normal position and against the resiliency of its spring 49. lf no other means were employed to lock levers in this depressed position, they would be immediately returned to the position of release by the springs 49. It is proposed however, to employ detents of the character particularly illustrated in Fig. 10i

It will be seen that the preferred form of detent includes a casing 57 formed with a central slot 58 and having a suitable securing fiange 59 whereby the casing may be bolted to braces 23 adjacent each lever 3U, Fig. 3 showing the relation of the detent casing to the lever when properly positioned. Pivoted within the casing as denoted by the numeral (5() is a dog (51 normally maintained in the projecting posi'ion, as regards the slotted casing, as is illrstratcd in Fig. 10, owing to the action of the expansible coiled spring 62. Flexible connections 63 afford a means whereby a control of the detents against the action of these springs (32 may be assured. As shown in Fig. 1, these flexible connections (S3 to the detent of each spoke frame are led to a common point, either directly or through the medium of the collecting chains 64, these chains or the flexible connections directly having one cxtremit secured to a shaft (35 mounted at some suitable point, preferably near the periphery of the wheel, in brackets (i6. A hand wheel G7 controls the shaft 65 which may thus be rollif limi ily pivoted to each spoke frame, and means for' locking all of the blades in each spoke frame in succession, against pivotal movement.

2. A power wheel including a hub, spoke frames radiating from the hub, Wings pivoted to each spoke frame, means restricting the rotational movement of the wings, and means for lockin the wings of each spoke frame in succession against any rotational movement.

3. A power wheel including a hub, spoke frames rotated from said hub, a series of wings pivoted to each spoke frame, a lockin shaft for the wings of each spoke frame, means resisting the action of each locking ghalt, and ,means disposed adjacent the path of rotation of the wheel for overcoming the resisting means of each frame in succession.

4. A power wheel including a hub, spoke frames radiating from the hub, blades pivoted in each spoke frame, a locking shaft for the blades of `each spoke frame, spring means resisting the action of each lookin shaft, and means disposed adjacent the path of rotation of the wheel for overcoming the spring means of each frame in succession.

5. A power wheel including a hub, spoke frames radiating from the hub, blades oted in each spoke frame, a locking s aft for the blades of each spoke frame, spring means resisting the action of each locking shaft, means disposed adjacent the path of rotation of the wheel for overcomlng the spring means of each frame in succession, and detent means carried by each frame for locking the shaft thereof in its .wing locking position after the action of the last said means.

6. A power wheel including a hub, spoke frames radiating from the hub, blades pivoted in each spoke frame, a locking shaft for the blades of each spoke frame, spring means resisting the action of eachlocking shaft, means disposed adjacent the path of rotation of the wheel' for overcoming the spring means of each "frame in succession, detent means carried by each frame for locking the shaft thereof in its wing locking position after the action of the last said means, and means Vfor simultaneously releasing the detents of all of the spoke frames.

7. A power wheel including a hub, spoke frames rotated from said hub, a series of blades pivoted in each spoke frame, rods carried by each frame to limit the rotational arc of'said blades, a rock shaft supported by each frame, means actuated by said rock shafts to act in conjunction with certain of said rods in locking all of the blades in each frame against any rotational movement, and means to operate the rock shafts insucces- SIHH.

8. A power wheel including a hub, spoke frames radiating from the hub, drive blades pi voted to each spoke frame, a hydraulic cylinder, a cylinder'operated thereby, and antifrictional means between the second cylinder and said wheel hub.

9. A powerwheel including a hub, spoke frames radiating from the hub, blades pivoted in tiers upon each s oke frame, a rock shaft for each tier of bla es, extensions carried by each ro'ek shaft to contact with the blades in preventing movement thereof, a shaft for simultaneous actuation of all the rock shafts o each frame, and resilient means connected to the actuating shaft and normally resistin movement thereof, and means for controllln the actuating shafts.

-10. A power whee includinga hub, spoke frames radiating from the hu blades pivoted inl tiers upon each s "oke frame, a rock shaft for each tier of bla es, extensions carried by each rock shaft to contact with the blades in preventing movement thereof, a shaft for simultaneous actuation of all the rock shafts of each frame, resilient means connected to theactuatihgshaft and normally resisting movement thereof, and a shoe disposed adjacent the path of rotation of said spoke frames and adapted to operate the actuatingglevers of each of these spoke frames in su cession to lock the blades thereof against the actioh of said resilient means.

11. A power wheel includi a hub, spoke frames radiating from the h blades pivoted in tiersupon each spoke frame, a rock shaft for each tier of blades, extensions carried by each rock shaft to contact with the blades in preventing movement thereof, a shaft for simultaneous actuation of all the rock shafts of each frame, resilient means connected to the actuating shaft and normally resisting movement thereof, a shoe disposed adjacent the path of rotation of said spoke frames and adapted to operate the actuating levers of each of these spoke frames in succession to lock the blades thereof against the action of said resilient means, and detent means spring operated to maintain each of the actuating shafts in its locked position after the initial operation of said shoe.

12. A power wheel including a spoke frames radiating from the hub, blades pivoted in tiers upon each spoke frame, a rock shaft for each tier of blades, extensions carried by each rock shaft to contact with the blades in preventing movement thereof, a shaft for simultaneous actuation of all the rock shafts of each frame, resilient means connected to the actuating shaft and normally resisting movement thereof, a shoe disposed adjacent the path of rotation of said spoke frames and adapted to operate the actuating levers of each of these spoke frames in succession to lock, the blades thereof against the action of said resilient means, detent means spring operated to hub,

maintain each`of the actuating shafts in its locked position after the initial operation of said shoe,.and fiexible connections running from a common point on the Wheel to each of the spoke frame detents for the simultaneous disengagement of the various spoke frame blades.

In testimony whereof Ifgx my signature in presence of two witnesses GUSTAF A. BJORNSON.

Witnesses:

P. SCHMIDT, J. E. HARPER. 

